HARRISBURG A 9-year-old boy who was found dead Friday night in a home off North Green Street likely died several days before he was discovered, according to the county district attorney and police.

City police were called to 2119 North Green Street at approximately 8:40 p.m. and quickly requested both the Dauphin County Coroner's Office and city detectives and forensics units to the scene. By just after 9 p.m. as many as eight cruisers, two vans, an SUV and a Life Team ambulance were parked on the street.

"It's an ongoing investigation at this point, we do have a deceased individual, a child, and that's really all I can release," said city police Capt. Colin Cleary.

Cleary later disclosed the child's age, and confirmed that both parents had been taken from the scene for questioning. The mother and father left the scene both in handcuffs in separate police cruisers, but Cleary emphasized that no charges were filed as of Friday night.

The couple's five remaining children several of whom suffer from undisclosed medical conditions were being handed over to the care of county children and youth specialists as of Friday night pending further investigation, said Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico, who arrived just before 10 p.m.

"It's certainly suspicious, but what caused the death will await the autopsy," Marsico said, adding that the autopsy would likely take place early Monday.

The district attorney also discussed the 'unsanitary conditions' police and investigators found inside the home, as well as evidence suggesting the child had likely died several days before police discovered his body.

"Police are in the process of interviewing family members and working with Dauphin County Children and Youth Services to determine exactly what happened," Marsico said.

Large groups of neighbors gathered on nearby porches to watch police, district attorney representatives and coroner's office officials working around the home. At least one of the family's children was outside the home and being attended to by neighbors under the careful supervision of police.

One neighbor made the boy a cup of warm soup and others gathered close around him to offer him comfort.

A Dauphin County Children and Youth Services representative arrived at the scene shortly before 10:30 p.m. to begin talking with the boy as police and medical personnel continued to help his siblings from the home.